If you think Mississippi is long, buckle up.
A famously long place name belongs to a hill near Pōrangahau in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay. The often-quoted extended spelling goes like this:
This extended spelling has 85 letters. The official New Zealand Geographic Board name is a shorter 57-letter form with macrons; “longest” records depend on the spelling and what counts as a place name.
It is often casually shortened to Taumata, but the official name should not be casually replaced in formal use. The New Zealand Gazetteer provides audio pronunciation for its official spelling — handy before attempting the full name over coffee.
📍 What Does It Mean?
It’s a name in the Māori language. Te Ara describes Tamatea playing his kōauau (flute) to his beloved on the hill. Place-name translations vary, so this story is a traditional interpretation rather than a word-for-word gloss. Te Ara account of Tamatea
The name commemorates Tamatea and a story associated with him; the poetic translation is a useful guide, not a definitive literal gloss. New Zealand Geographic Board guidance
This name beats other contenders like:
- Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (a lake in Massachusetts)
- Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (a village in Wales)
But none match Taumata-whatever for sheer tongue-twisting glory.
🧠 Fun Fact:
A famous roadside sign displays the long form, but the record depends on which variant and counting rules you choose.
And yes, it’s become a favorite trivia fact, meme, and Scrabble fantasy (if only proper nouns were allowed).
So if you’re ever in New Zealand and want a unique selfie spot, try this hill.
The official Gazetteer spelling, history, and audio pronunciation are maintained by Land Information New Zealand. LINZ Gazetteer entry